Monthly Archives: December 2013

There is quite an awful lot to get into as we head into the final weeks of the 2013 racing calendar. Kentucky Derby betting might go into brief hibernation over the winter, but that doesn’t mean there still isn’t plenty to race for as horses gear up for the annual Run for the Roses.

Ria Antonia making noise

There’s a big filly for everybody to keep their collective eyes on as the Kentucky Derby draws closer, and her name is Ria Antonia.

She goes nearly 17 hands tall and won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and – according to owner Ron Paolucci – Ria Antonia is as determined and competitive as they come.

“When they run a race, most great horses leave it out on the track, and this filly brings it every time,” Paolucci said. “When she works, she works hard. When she runs, she runs hard.”

No doubt the online horse odds community will have their eyes on Ria Antonia over the next couple of months. Her next big test is in Louisiana at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with a number of important Kentucky Derby points on the line.

It’s worth noting that, historically, fillies haven’t fared especially well in this race. Only two fillies in history have captured the Louisiana Derby – Carolyn A (1947) and Grecian Princess (1964). It’s almost been 50 years since one has turned the trick.

When it comes time to bet on the Kentucky Derby, fillies can be a real risk. There’s not a huge history of success there, and therefore, some good odds to be had. The trick is trying to find a filly that looks as though she’ll peak in the spring, rather than early in the season.

Honor Code Holds Steady

Wynn Las Vegas has released its latest odds for the 2014 Kentucky Derby, and to nobody’s surprise, Honor Code is staying strong as the early pre-race favorite at 10/1.

Honor Code is the (current) cream of the crop for a variety of reasons, but one that stands out above the rest is his trainer, Hall-of-Famer Shug McGaughey. McGaughey was one of the storybook narratives from the ’13 Kentucky Derby, as he trained Orb to capture his first-ever career title at Churchill Downs.

We’ve talked about Honor Code’s win at Remsen earlier, but it’s definitely a race victory worth re-mentioning. McGaughey, who isn’t exactly the most outspoken trainer on the circuit, praised the horse not just for its running ability but innate sense of competition and ability to raise its performance in the heat of battle, as Honor Code eked out a win by a nose at the wire over another hot Derby favorite, Cairo Prince.

“He showed a lot of guts,” McGaughey said of Honor Code following the win at Remsen. “I’m proud of him.”

Updated Kentucky Derby Horse Racing Odds

Earlier, Wynn Las Vegas’s racing book released its latest odds for the 2014 Kentucky Derby. Some of the ponies worth watching…

Honor Code 10/1

Tapiture 22/1
Tap it Rich 25/1

Cairo Price 30/1
Strong Mandate 30/1

Rise Up 35/1

Shared Belief 35/1
Mosler 40/1

Mexicoma 50/1

Here’s some news and notes from the world of Kentucky Derby betting news.

Keep an Eye on Cairo Prince

A second-place finish was almost worth a win for Cairo Prince.

Owned by Namcook Stables and trained by Kiaran P. McLaughlin, Cairo Prince made major waves recently by finishing as the runner-up to Derby hotshot Honor Code at the $400,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct.

The horse had gained some notoriety with an early-season victory at Nashua, but onlookers were interested to see how he’d fare at Remsen, a quality race filled with good competition. Cairo Price and Honor Code managed to establish themselves as the class of the field, however, rendering the Stakes a two-horse race as the remainder of the eight-horse field trotted behind, never contending.

The reason for all the excitement around Cairo Prince comes down to consistency. This was the third race of his career and he’s showed well in all three – in fact, Remsen could actually be seen as a disappointment, given the fact it’s the first race Cairo Prince has failed to win this season.

Even Honor Code’s trainer, Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, tipped his cap to the runner up. “I think the horse in second is a nice horse,” McGaughey said.

With the result, Cairo Prince’s early online horse odds were dropped to 20-1 for the 2014 Kentucky Derby.

Tapiture Running Strong

Another two-year-old worth monitoring for Kentucky Derby betting is Tapiture, who took care of Laddie Boy down the stretch of the $175,200 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

There’s always some extra juice regarding races run at Churchill, the site of the 2014 Kentucky Derby. As such, many were impressed at how well Tapiture ran. He trailed Laddie Boy for a good stretch of the race but turned it on over the final six furlongs, finishing the race in 1:43.51 – an impressive time, even though it was on a fast track.

The win also represented a big points boost for Tapiture in the Derby standings, an important statistic to monitor when it comes time to bet on Kentucky Derby. He received 10 for the victory, giving him 12 total after a third place finish in the Iroquois.

For those wanting to monitor Tapiture moving forward, be sure to pay attention to him this winter, as he’ll be racking at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans to further his shot of qualifying for the Derby. Should he fair well there, it’s expected his odds for the Derby will drop, possibly into the range we’re seeing for the likes of Honor Code and Cairo Prince.

Points Leaderboard Update

Since we just finished discussing Tapiture’s 10-point gain at Churchill, let’s take a look at where the ponies sit as the winter months come creeping in:

— With his win at Remsen, Honor Code is now tied with Havana atop the leaderboard with 14 points.

— Tapiture sits right behind with 12, followed by Bond Holder (11), New Year’s Day (10), Rise Up (10), We Miss Artie (10), Ami’s Holiday (10) and Cleburne (10).

— Cairo Prince sits tied on points with Dance With Fate, Smarty’s Echo, Laddie Boy, Smart Cover and Big Bazinga.